2 days agoAccording to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, the Texas Rangers have interest in free-agent relief pitcher
Chris Martin. Last season in Boston, the 38-year-old held a 3.45 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 44 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out batters a solid 27.8% rate and showed elite command with a near-perfect 1.7% walk rate. He also generated an above-average 3.41 xERA and 35.0% hard-hit rate. Martin spent time with Texas earlier in his career during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. If Martin were to sign with Texas, he would likely be deployed as a late-inning reliever. Currently, the Rangers do not have a top ninth-inning option but have expressed interest in re-signing
Kirby Yates. If they do not, Martin could mix in for save opportunities if they come to a contract agreement.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Evan Grant
2 days agoAccording to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Tigers remain active in pursuing free-agent third baseman
Alex Bregman. However, Petzold noted that both sides still have mutual interest despite a "gap in perceived value." Earlier this week, the Tigers signed second baseman
Gleyber Torres to a one-year contract. However, even after that deal, the Tigers remain active in improving their lineup. If Bregman were to come to an agreement with Detroit, he would have an everyday role at the hot corner, which would likely move
Matt Vierling to either the outfield or to the designated-hitter spot. Last summer, Bregman held a .260/.315/.453 slash line with 26 home runs and three stolen bases. Bregman will remain a popular target in points leagues in 2025 given his stellar 13.6% strikeout rate and a low-end top-12 option in category leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Evan Petzold
2
days
agoAccording
to
Mark
Feinsand
of
MLB.com,
Arizona
Diamondbacks
starting
pitcher
Jordan
Montgomery
could
still
be
traded.
Feinsand
reported
this
following
their
signing
of
Corbin
Burnes
to
a
massive
six-year
contract.
Montgomery's
name
has
been
on
the
trade
throughout
read more...
2 days agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, right-handed pitcher
Corbin Burnes turned down more money per year from other suitors when he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier on Saturday. Heyman mentions that the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays offered Burnes larger contracts than Arizona. However, Burnes opted to sign with the Diamondbacks due to a lower state tax and family arrangements. The 30-year-old pitcher ended up agreeing to a six-year deal worth $210 million with the Diamondbacks that includes an opt out after two seasons. Last summer in Baltimore, Burnes posted a strong 2.92 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 194 1/3 innings of work. Despite seeing his strikeout production drop, Burnes remains a high-end starting pitcher heading into 2025 given his stable ratios and ability to make over 30 starts each season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
2 days agoBefore outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for three years and $66 million this week, the New York Mets offered him a two-year contract, according to a source. The move would have been a big addition for the Mets after they already landed superstar outfielder
Juan Soto, and it likely would have meant a move back to center field for
Brandon Nimmo. For fantasy purposes, the 32-year-old Hernandez staying in Hollywood in the middle of a stacked Dodgers lineup is probably for the best. It was pretty much expected all along for Hernandez to stay in LA after helping the team win the World Series in his first year with the organization. Hernandez hit .272/.339/.501 with a career-high 33 home runs, 99 RBI, 12 steals and 84 runs scored in 2024. His strong batted-ball metrics suggest he should have another strong season in 2025 in one of the best situations in baseball.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Newsday - Tim Healey
2 days agoThe San Diego Padres have signed right-hander
Logan Gillaspie to a minor-league deal. Gillaspie will return to the Friars after appearing nine times in relief for the team in 2024, allowing nine earned runs on 15 hits (two home runs) while walking none and striking out seven in only 11 1/3 innings pitched. The 27-year-old also appeared in 44 games out of the bullpen for Triple-A El Paso and went 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, seven saves, 42 strikeouts and 19 walks in 45 1/3 innings pitched. Gillaspie made his major-league debut with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022 and also pitched for them in 2023. He has a 5.02 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 25:8 K:BB in his 37 2/3 relief innings in his three years in the majors. Gillaspie will most likely start the 2025 season back at El Paso and serve as additional relief depth. He's nowhere near the fantasy radar.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
2
days
agoAccording
to
Jeff
Passan
of
ESPN,
right-handed
pitcher
Corbin
Burnes
has
signed
a
six-year
$210
million
contract
with
the
Arizona
Diamondbacks.
The
Diamondbacks
have
recently
begun
to
make
some
noise
on
the
market,
trading
for
first
baseman
Joshread more...
3 days agoAccording to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, infielder
Coco Montes has signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. Montes logged 64 games at the Triple-A level in the Rockies organization and held an impressive .335/.414/.551 line with 16 doubles, nine home runs, and a 37:54 BB:K ratio. Montes also spent some time last season playing in Japan. He made his major league debut during the 2023 season where he appeared in just 18 games with the Rockies and posted a .184/.244/.316 line. Even though he has never been given a full look in the majors, he sits with an overall .305/.388/.532 line across 282 games at the Triple-A level. If Montes has a successful Spring Training he could contend for a spot on the Opening Day Roster.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
3 days agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Yankees are looking to add left-handed pitchers to their bullpen and have been linked to
Tim Hill,among others. Hill finished the 2024 campaign in the Bronx after starting the season with the Chicago White Sox. Across 67 innings of relief last summer, the southpaw held a 3.36 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. However, he was very effective across his 44-inning stint in the Bronx, where he posted a 2.05 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. The 34-year-old has struggled to generate strikeouts and posted a poor 12.9% strikeout rate and 10.7% walk rate over the past two summers. However, he generated a 1.7% barrel rate and a 68.1% ground-ball rate, which placed him in the 100th percentile in both statistics last season. If Hill were to reunite with the Yankees, he would likely operate as a middle-relief option and see minimal save situations, if any at all.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
3 days agoAccording to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, free-agent outfielder
Teoscar Hernandez is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers on a three-year contract worth $66 million. Throughout the offseason, the 32-year-old expressed interest in a reunion, and now both sides have agreed to a deal. In his first season as a Dodger, Hernandez spent most of his time in left field and posted a strong .272/.339/.501 slash line with 33 home runs and 12 stolen bases. He tallied an impressive 99 RBI batting in a deep lineup. Under the hood, the slugger boasted a .486 xSLG and 14.9% barrel rate, which were among the top marks in the sport. During their World Series run, Hernandez held a .250/.352/.417 line across 16 playoff games. Fantasy managers should expect Hernandez to continue to bat in the top half of an elite lineup, which should provide him ample RBI opportunities throughout the 2025 season.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Jon Heyman
3 days agoAccording to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Boston Red Sox attempted to move designated hitter
Masataka Yoshida in a deal that would have brought right-handed pitcher
Luis Castillo to Boston. Feinsand reported that the Mariners were looking to acquire first baseman
Triston Casas in exchange for Castillo, but rejected the deal as the Red Sox attempted to put Yoshida in the package as well. The 31-year-old carries a hefty contract worth $55.8 million but Seattle was unwilling to take on the payroll. Feinsand noted that once this deal fell through, Boston pivoted to
Walker Buehler. Yoshida has been deployed as a pure DH given his defensive struggles and held a .280/.349/.415 line with ten home runs and two stolen bases last summer. If Yoshida remains on the Red Sox, fantasy managers should expect him to see most starts at the DH spot.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
3 days agoThe Detroit Tigers have designated left-handed pitcher
Bailey Horn for assignment earlier on Friday. This opened up a roster spot for second baseman
Gleyber Torres who agreed to a one-year contract with Detroit. Horn made his major league debut last summer and held a 6.50 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP across 18 innings of work. He struck out 13 batters and posted a 10.8% walk rate. Across 39 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level last season Horn held a 4.54 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP while tallying 35 punchouts. Horn was claimed off of waivers by Detroit earlier this offseason but will now look for a new suitor ahead of Spring Training. If Horn is able to sign a new contract, he will likely open the 2025 campaign at the Triple-A level given his struggles in the big leagues.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Detroit Tigers
3 days agoThe Cincinnati Reds have released outfielder
Peyton Burdick this offseason. It's expected that Burdick will take his talents overseas to either Japan or Korea in 2025. The 27-year-old did not see any action in the big leagues in 2024. In 63 games for Triple-A Norfolk (Baltimore Orioles organization) and Triple-A Louisville, Burdick slashed just .187/.302/.370 with 11 home runs, 25 RBI, five steals, 36 runs scored and 108 strikeouts in 258 plate appearances. Burdick was originally drafted in the third round by the Miami Marlins in 2019 out of Wright State University. He made his major-league debut with the Fish in 2022 and he has hit a combined .200/.281/.368 with a weak .649 OPS, five home runs, 13 RBI and 12 runs scored in 46 games played over two seasons in Miami.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb.com
3 days agoThe Philadelphia Phillies have signed free-agent right-hander
Joel Kuhnel to a minor-league deal. Kuhnel will join the Phillies after allowing five earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out five in only 10 relief innings with the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays in 2024. The 29-year-old reliever was originally drafted in the 11th round in 2016 by the Cincinnati Reds out of the University of Texas at Arlington. He made his big-league debut in 2019 with the Reds and has posted a 5.86 ERA (4.46 FIP), a 1.36 WHIP, one save and a 76:24 K:BB in 93 2/3 innings over 82 relief appearances in his five seasons in the majors. Kuhnel will bring experienced relief depth to the Phils after pitching at four different Triple-A levels in 2024 with the Rays, Astros, Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: PhilliesBaseballFan.com -- Steve Potter
3 days agoThe Pittsburgh Pirates have signed free-agent first baseman
Darick Hall to a minor-league deal. Hall will give the Pirates an extra left-handed bat that can fill in at first base or as a designated hitter. The 29-year-old former 14th-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016 out of Dallas Baptist University did not see action at all in the big leagues in 2024. Instead, he hit .236/.320/.387 with 16 home runs in 114 games at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He debuted in the majors with the Phillies in 2022 and has hit .226/.258/.442 with a .700 OPS, 10 home runs, 19 RBI and 21 runs scored in 198 plate appearances in Philly in 59 games in two seasons. Hall will most likely begin the 2025 campaign with Triple-A Indianapolis, but he'll have a much better shot to reach the big leagues again in Pittsburgh than he did in Philadelphia.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Milb Central
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